Withdrawal button in France: what your online shop must display since 19 June 2026

The 14-day right of withdrawal, in brief

The button does not change the right itself, only the way it is exercised. For a distance sale, the consumer has fourteen days to withdraw, without having to give a reason. C. conso L. 221-18 The references “C. conso” in this guide are to the French Consumer Code (Code de la consommation).

• Starting point. Receipt of the goods for a sale of goods, conclusion of the contract for a service. If an order is delivered in several parts, the period runs from receipt of the last item.
• Refund. All sums paid, including delivery costs, no later than fourteen days after you are informed of the withdrawal. For goods, you may wait until you have got them back or have received proof that they were sent. C. conso L. 221-24
• Return. The customer sends the goods back no later than fourteen days after communicating their decision. They only pay the direct cost of returning them, and only if you informed them of this. C. conso L. 221-23
• Exceptions. No right of withdrawal, in particular, for goods made to the customer's specifications or clearly personalised, goods that deteriorate rapidly, or goods unsealed after delivery that cannot be returned for hygiene reasons. C. conso L. 221-28

If you did not inform the customer of their right of withdrawal as required, the period is extended by twelve months. C. conso L. 221-20

What the law requires of the withdrawal function

For contracts concluded at a distance through an online interface, the trader must provide, free of charge, a function allowing the right of withdrawal to be exercised before the period expires. C. conso L. 221-21 The decree of 5 January 2026 sets out how it works.

C. conso D. 221-5 · Directive 2011/83/EU, Art. 11a, inserted by Directive (EU) 2023/2673

The typical journey, step by step

1. The entry point. A visible “Renoncer au contrat ici” link on the site. The directive gives hyperlinks leading to the function as an example: nothing prevents you from adding one to the order confirmation e-mail and to the customer account, on top of the link on the site.
2. The form. The customer enters or confirms their first name and surname, the order concerned (order number, for example) and the e-mail address at which to receive the acknowledgement. A customer who is already logged in should not have to identify themselves again, according to recital 37 of the directive.
3. The confirmation. A “Confirmer la rétractation” button. It prevents accidental withdrawals: that is its purpose.
4. The acknowledgement of receipt. An e-mail that repeats the content of the statement, with the date and time it was sent. Keep a copy: a statement sent before the end of the period counts as a withdrawal within the period.
5. The usual next steps. Return instructions, then a refund within fourteen days.

If the order contains several items, the directive allows the trader to offer withdrawal from only part of the contract. It also states that the customer should not have to download an app to find the function if the contract was not concluded through that app.

Update your terms and conditions (CGV) and your pre-order information

Before the contract is concluded, you must inform the customer of the conditions, time limit and procedures for exercising the right of withdrawal, of the model withdrawal form and, where applicable, of the existence and location of the withdrawal function. C. conso L. 221-5, 7°

The official model information notice annexed to the French Consumer Code offers a sentence to insert (the official French text, followed by its meaning in English):

“Vous pouvez également exercer votre droit de rétractation en ligne sur [insérer l'adresse du site internet ou une autre référence adéquate indiquant où se trouve la fonctionnalité de rétractation]. Si vous utilisez cette fonctionnalité en ligne, nous vous enverrons, dans les meilleurs délais, un accusé de réception de la rétractation sur un support durable (par exemple, par courriel), y compris son contenu ainsi que la date et l'heure de sa soumission.” (In English: “You can also exercise your right of withdrawal online at [insert the website address or another appropriate reference showing where the withdrawal function is located]. If you use this online function, we will send you, without delay, an acknowledgement of receipt of the withdrawal on a durable medium (for example, by e-mail), including its content and the date and time it was submitted.”) Annex to Article R. 221-3

Common mistakes

• The button only available in the customer account. If you accept orders without an account, those customers must also be able to reach the function. Requiring customers to create an account to withdraw sits badly with the “easy, direct and permanent” access required by law.
• Marketing wording. “Gérer mes retours” (manage my returns) or “Échanger un article” (exchange an item) does not match the regulatory wording.
• A form that is too long. Mandatory reason, photos, supporting documents: the text only provides for three pieces of information, and the customer does not have to give a reason.
• No acknowledgement of receipt, or one without a date and time.
• Terms and conditions that do not mention the function, or that describe a different journey from the one on the site.
• A function switched off too early, for example on dispatch, when the period runs from receipt.

Penalties

A breach of the rules on exercising the right of withdrawal, including Article L. 221-21, which requires the function, is liable to an administrative fine of up to €15,000 for an individual and €75,000 for a legal entity. C. conso L. 242-13 The same cap applies to breaches of the pre-contractual information requirements, including the mention of the function. C. conso L. 242-10

Your action list

1. Check whether all your products carry a right of withdrawal, and identify those covered by an exception.
2. Add a visible “Renoncer au contrat ici” link on the site, accessible to customers without an account, and repeat it in the order confirmation e-mail.
3. Limit the form to first name and surname, the order and the e-mail address, with a “Confirmer la rétractation” button.
4. Set up the automatic acknowledgement of receipt with the content of the request, the date and the time.
5. Update your terms and conditions and your pre-contractual information with the sentence from the official model. The withdrawal notice generator assembles the full official notice for your situation.
6. Test the journey yourself, on mobile, as a customer who ordered without an account.
7. For a specific case (subscriptions, services, excluded products), have your journey validated by a lawyer.